Kato Unitrack Cutting Jig

thingiverse

This is a jig for cutting Kato N Scale Unitrack to custom lengths. Sometimes you may need an odd length, this lets you make them. Kato makes an adjustable track, but it's expensive relative to the standard sections and its sliding rails are less reliable. Here's my note from the Yahoo groups Unitrack forum where I first published this technique: I've found a relatively simple way of trimming Unitrack. Look at a piece carefully. You will notice that at one end there are a couple of stake marks on the rail to fix the rail to the base. Call this the fixed end. With a razor saw, cut the base about 1/2 the length of desired length from the the fixed end. For appearance's sake, it helps to do this in the ballast, rather than the tie area. Slide the base off the free end. Cut the removed section of base to the remaining desired length. File ends of base for exact fit if needed. Slide the free base back on. Glue the base together with liquid styrene cement, Reinforce if necessary with lengths of styrene strip. Let dry at least two hours. Cut off wild rail flush to end of base with rail nippers. After I created this I discovered Atomsk's similar box https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2273078. I haven't tried this. One thing about mine is that the slots are pretty shallow so a 1/2" razor saw can be used. Deep slots requiring a deep saw was something I found irritating about using a standard miter box.